O’Donoghue confident of FF ticket

Controversial former Ceann Comhairle John O’Donoghue has revealed that he fully intends contesting the next general election and is confident of securing the Fianna Fáil nomination in Kerry.

The 55-year-old former minister, who lost his seat in last year’s election, confirmed yesterday he is now working to have his name back on the ballot paper.

And firing the first salvo in what is likely to be a gloves-off battle in a bitterly divided constituency, he lashed out at the three sitting Kerry South TDs, with particular criticism reserved for Independents Tom Fleming and Michael Healy-Rae who were his former colleagues in Fianna Fáil.